Bottas secures Williams' 300th F1 podium

Valtteri Bottas fended off Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton's charge in the closing stages of the German Grand Prix on Sunday to register the 300th podium for Williams in Formula One.

The Finn started a career-best second on the grid and matched his best race result in F1, recorded at the preceding British GP two weeks ago, to finish second in what was his third straight podium of the season.

"We always aim for more but for now we need to be happy with these points... but I think today was the maximum result," Bottas said. "We did everything perfectly and managed to keep Lewis behind in the end which got us an extra few points but in the future, we are definitely aiming for more and this is not the maximum.

"Last year we could not have expected to be three times in a row on the podium but we now... This is the package we have and it’s all down to hard work and we need to always keep aiming for more, like I said before."

Bottas was the first driver to rack up three successive podiums for Williams since Juan Pablo Montoya in 2003.

"Of course, it feels really good to be (on the podium) for a third time in a row but I think we’re aiming for more than that now," he added.

Incidentally, Williams first podium was recorded in Germany in 1975.

Williams has now passed Ferrari to move up to third place in the constructors' championship, with five points separating the two former champions.

"To keep a Mercedes behind at the end of the race was promising showing that it is possible, and the car is very strong," Bottas pointed out.

Bottas, who has finished all but one race in the points this season, is fifth in the drivers' standings and threatening Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso for fourth, six points ahead.